Robert Blake

Born Michael James Vincenzo Gubitosi on Sept. 19, 1933 in Nutley, NJ, Blake was the son of mother Elizabeth and father Giacomo "James" Gubitosi, an Italian immigrant who worked as a die setter for a manufacturing company. Elizabeth and James later formed a musical stage act to bring in extra money, and eventually brought their children into the routine. By 1938, they moved the family to Los Angeles and began pursuing extra work in movies for Blake and his two siblings. Almost immediately, Blake found success when he made his debut in the MGM comedy "Bridal Suite" (1939). That same year, he began his career in earnest - now billed as "Mickey Gubitosi" - in "Joy Scouts" (1939), the continuatio... Continue Bio >>